1911 J Ta verne r and Swales, Migration of the Saw-whet Owl. 333 



Swales was watching his specimen. The bird was rather high up 

 and in the shade, and a couple of attempts were made to get a 

 picture without satisfactory results. The camera was too low 

 to get what we wanted so we spliced dead branches to the legs, 

 using what was lying around handy for material. The straps from 

 the carrying case and field glasses, three handkerchiefs, and the 

 strings of a tobacco bag furnished the binding materials and the 

 whole made an exceedingly wabbly stand, but it visibly raised 

 the lens to an approximate level with the bird. With this bundle 

 of apparatus we again tried, and drawing closer and closer we got 

 the subject on the plate and finally made the exposure. Having 

 got what we thought to be the best possible results, we experi- 

 mented a bit to see how close the bird would let us approach. 

 We got right under it by degrees and then raised our hand until 

 it was even with it, and touched the branch at its side upon which 

 it stood. Finally Swales attempted to stroke it on the back, but 

 this was more than it would stand and it flew, but only a few feet, 

 and lit on a horizontal branch almost in the open and in good light. 

 The camera tripod was hurriedly restored to its former lengthy 

 but wabbly condition, and with the front lens combination removed 

 and the bellows extended to its farthest extent, an exposure of nine 

 seconds was made. This was the only picture that proved really 

 satisfactory, being the only one in which the instrument had 

 remained steady. The seance ended in another attempt to touch 

 the bird, and as it was getting late, we returned to camp. 



Through the night we listened carefully for the peculiar call that 

 gives the species its name, but without result. We were too busy 

 with our specimens to go out the mile or so that separated us from 

 the ground where we had found them, and we heard none nearby. 

 The next morning we started out early to give Saunders a chance to 

 see the remarkable sight, as he had been working another part of 

 the Point the day before. We worked the whole end of the Point 

 with great care, but except for the scattered remains of another 

 unfortunate, saw not a sign of them. They had evidently departed 

 in the night. 



We saw in all, twelve birds; eight were found by diligent search, 

 and the remainder we just ran on to. They were all quiet and so 

 near the color and contour of other natural forms as to be most 



